Dodge Almost Had a Grand Cherokee, ‘Til They Lost to Jeep
Money issues prevented Dodge from sharing the Grand Cherokee with Jeep, lost out entirely following a decision by Bob Lutz.
Today, Dodge possesses an SUV for those who want a Grand Cherokee, but without the “Trail Rated” badge. That would be, of course, the Durango. At the same time, Jeep wanted some big power for its legendary luxury SUV. Thus, it received the Hellcat into its heart, delivering the Trackhawk upon the drag strip.
Yet, there was once a moment where Dodge and Jeep would have shared more than a big, supercharged V8. The Drive says the two brands would have each had their own take on the ZJ platform, the very one upon which the first-gen Grand Cherokee would rest upon. Alas, this was not to be.
Back in the late Eighties, Chrysler acquired AMC, mainly so they could have Jeep in their stable. And why not? Per an excerpt published by Automotive News from The Last American CEO by Jason Vines and Joe Cappy, then-Chrysler CEO himself Lee Iaccoca said the Jeep name was “the best known automotive brand name in the world,” second only to Coke.
At around this time, Jeep’s team of engineers and designers were working on a plan to build a successor to the XJ Cherokee, dubbed the ZJ. Over time, though, it was decided the XJ and ZJ could co-exist in money-making harmony.
Once the deal was sealed, though, Dodge looked at the ZJ platform, and wanted one of their own. Back then, according to The Drive, all they had for SUVs was the Ramcharger, based upon the D Series. Though the two-door SUV was popular with full-size SUV fans, it wasn’t the right rig for everyone. Thus, a smaller luxury SUV with four doors would be the right move.
Alas, there was one snag: money. After spending the cash to acquire AMC, Chrysler couldn’t afford to build both a ZJ Jeep and a ZJ Dodge. Iaccoca decided both brands should present a proposal for their respective takes, with the best one winning the show. Both proposals wound up before the board and Chrysler VP Bob Lutz, with Lutz choosing Jeep over Dodge.
Imagine what could have been, though, if Dodge either won all the marbles, or could share the ZJ with Jeep. In the end, though, Jeep managed to pull Dodge and the rest of what would become FCA through the rough economic landscape, paying it back in spades.
Photos: Facebook/Car Design Archives; Automotive News; Jeep
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